SC notice to Centre, states, UTs on installing speed governors

The Supreme Court today sought responses from the Centre, all states and Union Territories on a plea challenging government's decision to exempt certain types of four-wheeled passenger and transport vehicles from mandatorily being fitted with speed controlling devices.
A bench comprising Justices Ranjan Gogoi and N V Ramana also sought reports within six weeks from all the 28 states and seven UTs on the implementation of provisions relating to fitting of speed governors on particular kinds of vehicles under the Central Motor Vehicles (Sixth Amendment) Rules.
The plea of NGO Suraksha Foundation challenges a recent notification that exempts four-wheeled vehicles "used for carriage of passengers and their luggage,with seating capacity not exceeding eight passengers in addition to driver seat (M1 category) and not exceeding 3500 kg gross vehicle weight from the mandatory fitment requirement of speed governors."

A large percentage of road accidents could be directly attributable to such vehicles, exempted by the notification, the plea said.
The exemption was granted in a notification of April 15 under Rule 118 of the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989.
The PIL has also sought separate guidelines for a selection criteria and tender process for approval and appointment of authorised manufacturers of speed governors by respective state governments.
It has sought a direction to the Surface Transport Ministry to "insert a provision in the present Rule 118 of the Motor Vehicle Rules regarding sealing of the speed governors with the official seal of the state transport authority or a regional transport authority, along with the requirement of embossment of the registration number of the speed governor body".